Accounting Process for Bounced Checks: recommended workflowLast updated on 05/12/2023

If a customer pays for their service by check and that check is later returned by the bank for non-sufficient funds, you will need to enter a record of that transaction in ServiceTitan to maintain accurate Accounts Receivable.

Setup
With Payment Collections Turned On
Charge an NSF Fee
Without Payment Collections Turned On

Things to know

Do not use the ‘Bounced Check’ button in QuickBooks, which automatically creates the journal entry described below and would require you to bypass the negative payment from ServiceTitan in order to not duplicate the transaction.

Workflows

Setup

Create a new payment type: NSF Check
1. Export as: Journal Entry
2. Account: your bank account
3. Attributes: None
4. Click Save.

Note: If you are using Payment Collections, you must turn on Automated Refund Workflow. For more information, see Set up automated refund workflow.

With Payment Collections Turned On

Navigate to the invoice with the NSF check.
On the check that was returned by the bank, click the Refund button.
Refund Reason:
1. Select Other
2. Enter NSF Check in the box
Refund Amount:
1. Select Amount
2. Enter the full amount of the NSF check
Refund Method:
1. Select Cut Check in Accounting Software
Click Save.
Click Advanced Options.
Memo for Payment:
1. Bounced Check
Update the date if necessary.
Click Save.
Click Process Refund.
Click the Edit pencil on the negative payment.
Change the Payment Type to NSF Check.
Click Save.

Your payments will look like this.

It will create a journal entry in your accounting software.

Charge an NSF Fee

If you would like to charge a fee to your customer for the returned check or perhaps pass on the fee that you were charged by the bank, you will first need to create an item for this in your pricebook.
Add an adjustment invoice to the original invoice and add the Returned Check Fee service item.
Your invoice is now updated to reflect the original services and payment, returned check, and bad check fee.

Without Payment Collections Turned On

To record the transaction of the returned check on your invoice in ServiceTitan, you will enter the negative payment for the amount of the check. This essentially cancels out the first payment and the invoice again reflects a balance due.

The negative payment/NSF Check payment from ServiceTitan will export to QuickBooks as a journal entry, with a debit to Accounts Receivable (increase) and a credit to your Bank Account (decrease).